1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to image output authentication systems, image output authentication servers and image output authentication methods, and particularly to image output authentication systems, image output authentication servers and image output authentication methods suitable for authentication of a user in outputting an image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally there has been a system employing an IC card or a similar storage medium to provide authentication in printing image data of a classified document or the like to place a restriction on printing the image data to enhance the security of the image data.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-059453, paragraphs 0013 and 0014 discloses that a serial number is read from a memory card attached to an image formation apparatus, whether the serial number is that of a printer thereof is determined, and if they match, and a user code input and a password input are those having been registered, then the user is permitted to copy.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-171252, paragraph 0010 discloses a system in which a physical authentication ID is read from a magnetic card inserted in a printer, a password server obtains a user ID associated with the read physical authentication ID, whether the user has authority is determined, and printing is performed.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-281100, paragraph 0019 discloses a system in which an ID, a means for comparing a password, and a key encrypting and decrypting print data are provided to a key device, and in printing, the key device is inserted into a printer, a password is input, the key device compares the password, and data decrypted with the decryption key of the key device is printed out.
The system of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-059453 permits using the image formation apparatus after a memory card is attached and a user code and a password are input. The system thus requires the three steps of attaching a memory card, inputting a user code and inputting a password before an image is output.
The system of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-171252 only requires authentication of a user ID associated with a physical authentication ID stored in a magnetic card to permit printing. Authenticating only a user ID, however, is a single security, i.e., has a low security level.
The system of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-281100 requires the two steps of inserting a key device and inputting a password to obtain a printout. The system is thus less cumbersome than that of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-059453 to obtain a printout. Furthermore the system employs an ID and a password to provide authentication. The system thus provides a double security. While this is a security level equivalent to that of the system of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-059453, it is higher than the security level of the system of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-171252.
However, the system of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-281100 still requires two steps to maintain its security level.